1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a test apparatus and a connecting apparatus. In particular, the present invention relates to a test apparatus that tests a device under test and to a connecting apparatus that connects a first apparatus and a second apparatus.
2. Related Art
A test apparatus that tests a device under test such as a semiconductor chip may include a socket board onto which the device under test is mounted and a test head that supplies a test signal to the device under test. The socket board is detachably mounted on the test head.
When the device under test is tested, the socket board is mounted at a prescribed position on the test head. The test head is thereby electrically connected to the device under test via the socket board.
The test head is provided with air cylinders at four positions and the socket board is supported at tops of rods of the air cylinders. When the socket board is connected to the test head, the rods are driven by vacuum suction in the air cylinders, as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-257908.
The socket board desirably moves in a vertical direction in relation to the test head while remaining parallel to the test head. By doing this, male terminals of a connector can be attached to or removed from female terminals vertically. When the socket board and the test head are connected to each other by vacuum suction, however, an uneven driving force between each air cylinder may arise. If such a problem occurs, the socket board might not remain parallel to the test head when moving.
Furthermore, when the socket board and the test head are connected by vacuum suction, it is difficult to adjust a movement speed of the socket board. It is desirable that an impact occurring when the socket board is connected to the test head be as small as possible. When the connection method involves vacuum suction, however, it is difficult to control the movement speed of the socket board, which can result in a relatively large impact when the socket board and the test head are connected.